What It Takes to Run A Law Office

For small law firms just getting started takes a lot of work. It takes a strong leader, someone who is excellent at planning and management as well as marketing. Strong client relation skills and partner compensation plans are also vital.

Whether you’re new to this or just looking to improve office efficiency, then you’ve come to the right place. Here are a few ways to make sure your law office is operating at its best.

Partners and Employees

Unless you’re running solo, the individuals you work with are the core of what your firm has to offer. A strong leader works on developing these individuals’ skills, encourages teamwork on cases and empowers their employees or partners.

Offices run without these leadership qualities can lead to firm splits and a quick turnaround on new lawyers. Even worse, it can lead to a bad reputation when the work behind your cases suffers. To avoid these mishaps, here are seven traits of an effective leader to follow:

Create a unified vision for the firm that everyone can follow.

Make your teams feel important because they are.

Admit when you make mistakes. No one is perfect.

Always critique job performance in private.

Establish trust amongst your teams by following the Golden Rule.

Stay in touch with the action happening in the office in every case.

Do as you say, and everyone will follow suit.

Managing Work

Law offices are unique in the fact that work does not have to be done inside the firm. As you probably know, casework often makes its way back home for late nights or to accommodate a lawyer’s life. It isn’t always to keep track of work being done this way, though.

Clockspot is a unique software that simplifies the problem. Its user-friendly interface allows employees to clock in with their phone or computer, then monitors the work they’re doing to keep things on deadline. Remote or in-office, you’re always on top of who is doing what task. Using this software frees up time in your day to handle your own casework or plan out what your firm will be doing in the next few weeks, while also smoothing out employer-employee relations and boosting your firm’s efficiency. Plus, it features an automated payroll.

Marketing

Running a law firm requires more than just knowledge and skills as a lawyer. You’ll also need to market your firm. This is easier said than done, however. Marketing is an industry itself, but you don’t have to pick up a second degree just to make this aspect of your business work. Simple online courses will give you the skills you need to help reel in clientele.

Best of all, these classes are universal to any industry. If you focused on tax law like this ERISA attorney in San Jose, then picking up new marketing skills would allow you to effectively communicate what your firm can accomplish for individuals in the area. The same goes for criminal, corporate, property law and more.

The post What It Takes to Run A Law Office appeared first on Small Business Advice Help For Startups and Entrepreneurs.